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Patt  Family
Sending Care Packages For 5 Years
February 9, 2009

Dear Duke Angels, Retiree Angels, and other Angel Friends,

Can you believe we've been sending care packages for nearly 5 years?
April 2009 will make 5 years since we started sending care packages to troops because of Mike Boone, Zimmer Station,
and his concerns for his daughter who was going to be deployed to Iraq soon.

We never thought past sending care packages further than a few troops.
Here we are, 5 years later, 105 people later, and nearly 994 care packages.

We wanted to give you a brief summary of the last 5 years and what we've done. Maybe it is interesting to you.

· We have been sending care packages to105 military people.
· We have sent care packages to one civilian and included candy for two Iraqi interpreters, Mustafa and Hashim
· We have sent care packages to very high ranking officers (I didn't know their importance) - 1 Colonel and 1 Major
· We have home addresses for only 42 people.
· We have e-mail address for only 37 people.
· We have birthdays for only 40 people.
· Sadly, we have lost all contact with 13 people and wish we could write to them.
· Sadly our Military Angel, William Ryan Fritsche was killed in action on July 27, 2007.
· We have one individual that was taken off my list so their department at Duke Energy could take care of their care    packages.

    Army
Navy
Air Force
  Marines
Civilian
· 1 - PFC
· 4 Ranks Unknown
· 3 -Ssgt
· 1 - Pvt.
1
· 15 - Spc
· 1 - Msgt
· 7 - Lcpl
· 6 - Sgt.
· 5 - Cpl
· 4 - SSgt.
· 1 - Sgt.
· 3 - SFC
· 2 - Ssgt
· 1 - Msgt
· 1 - Gysgt
· 1 - CW4
· 1 - Col.
· 1 - W.O.
· 3 - 1Lt.
· 1 - Major

We have 36 Army personnel; 4 Navy personnel; 1 Civilian; 4 Air Force; 19 Marines.

We have 16 people who have been added to my list for 2 tours of duty.
We have 1 person who has been added to my list for 3 tours of duty.
True number of people counting only one tour of duty makes 87 people.

We have had the honor and privilege to meet 14 of our military heroes and Tom already knows one more,
John Grube, that worked at Zimmer Station after I resigned.

We currently have 39 people who have received at least one of the beautiful "Bonnie Pillows made with Love".

We have sent Cincinnati Post newspapers for the last newspaper after 30 years of printing and they have discontinued the newspaper.
We have sent Cincinnati Enquirer newspapers for the Obama election results, the Obama Inaugural the next day,
the big snow/ice storm of 2009, even pictures and cards made by the Students at Sharonville Elementary,
Girl Scout Cookies (which are coming again soon),
and school supplies from a young man who was trying to earn his Eagle Scout Badge for Boy Scouts.

 
1. We currently have 13 people overseas we are sending care packages.

2. We have sent care packages to Afghanistan, Iraq, Kuwait, Japan, Germany, Korea, and Cuba.

3. Also, there will be a military event coming up in May.
It is for all current military and their families, retired military, and Veterans.
This event is focused for military people, not just the general public.
This is an event that people might want to attend because so much of the event is free for the military as a thank you.
Non-military personnel or their families are "not encouraged" to attend. We will be sending out more information soon.
I am on the committee so I'll have more information to share later.
All military and military families should mark their calendars for Saturday, May 16 and save that date for this event.
If you don't live near Cincinnati, you might want to pass it along to any military friends that live in the area.

4. Just a note for everyone, the Conners Family Support the Troops and Honor the Veterans Picnic will no longer
be a fundraising event. They had decided to discontinue the activity and work on other military fundraisers.
Thank you for the many years of support.

5. Clermont 20/20 along with Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 649 and Duke Energy
   are working on helping us to get financial support for the postage and items for care packages.
   We are Not a not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization and we have difficulty getting donations.
" We are just a normal family trying to help a lonely Troop who has been deployed to serve his / her country on foreign soil."

6. Duke Angels may continue to send items for care packages or other donations directly to Tom at Zimmer or to our home.

7. Just a quick update on us.... Tom has been promoted to Environmental Coordinator at Zimmer Station and enjoys his job. Miranda graduated Magna Cum Laude from Kent State University with a major in German and a minor in Education.
She is finishing her first year of teaching the last class of German at Sycamore High School.
Next year, they will be teaching different languages.
I resigned from Duke Energy in June of 2008 and used the last of my vacation days into July.
I hurt my ankle and had rotator cuff surgery in 2008.
I am healing from both injuries and am beginning to volunteer again and look for a career changing job.
 
We are networking with several organizations.

· Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 649
Meetings are in Eastgate on the 2nd Thursday of each month at 7:30PM
at the Union Township Civic Center (behind "Helicopter Park").

· Whole in My Heart Support Group
Meetings in Eastgate on the 1st Thursday of each month at 7PM
at the Union Township Civic Center.

Clermont County Commissioner Bob Proud helps run this Support Group and we highly recommend this to anyone who needs a little help with these military deployments.

· The Army Store is located on Route 4 past Jungle Jim's in Fairfield.
This is not just Army products as I was mistaken. It contains all branches of the military.

· SSgt. Bryan Hamilton has been a great source of information and answers my questions.
He has attended the Conners picnic and has set up games with donations for prizes.

· I have known Mia Supe for most of my life.
She runs the Military Support Connection
Mia helps many organizations get their support the troops organizations started including helping with the 501(c)3 process.

· The Veterans Administration and The Thank You Foundation
They work together to organize and make the Welcome Home Celebration on May 16 possible.

· We thank Jack and Fran Conners for 4 years of picnics to help us raise money and care package supplies for our troops.
We wish you lots of luck in your new endeavors with the Newtown Memorial Park plans.  

We send our thanks for all you have done to help us to send care packages overseas.
There are many Americans out there that want to support the troops.
The way our heroes were treated after Vietnam was terrible and I was not able to make a difference.
Together we make a difference to a few heroes overseas and make them smile, if only for a moment.

Take care,

Gina & Tom Patt
4317 Cordial Place
Batavia, OH 45103
(513) 732-2057 home
(513) 509-1567 Tom cell

(513) 467-5212 Tom work
ambassador@fuse.net
web site: tgpatt.com
“We can’t all be heroes because someone has to sit on the curb and clap as they go by.”
Will Rogers